Games ARE Fun!

Games are an awesome thing. Most everybody plays or has played a game. Things can get very competitive. Not everybody is the same and things wont get to be as serious as others. I know when I play a game or do something that involves winning; I will go all out and make sure I win. That is just the competitive side of me. But, play is the key word that I am saying.

As stated by Johan Huizinga, all play is voluntary. Play can be anything from rock, paper, scissors to a pick up game of basketball. These games are limited by space and time and all of them take you away from the real world in a sense (Huizinga). When one is playing a game, the only thing they’re concentrated on is playing and doing whatever the rules say. Mostly people play games to win. Sometimes there is a prize involved or a wager set. According to Huizinga, when one receives monetary compensation, it is no longer a game. This is where I disagree.

Games are games and are made for fun. Competition and teamwork is a lot of tension but can also bring out the best in people. For example when people play basketball, the satisfaction of getting an assist or receiving a pass and getting points is great because of the cohesiveness between the teammates. When one is very skilled, they usually take their talents to the next level. This could be a professional contract to a college scholarship. In most cases, not all, the talented player plays because he/ she loves the game. I believe getting money to play is an added bonus, whether it is a school paying for education or an organization paying you to be a part of their program. The main points of play, according to Huizinga, are: playing for enjoyment and playing just to play. Most athletes refer to “playing for the love of the game” as playing just to play. When somebody is good at something they usually tend to keep doing the activity. Over time, as they get better and better, they develop almost a tie to the game and can relate all ways of life to the game. This is when the player starts to enjoy the game. When these two things are factored in a player of any game along with skill, material gains could be available to them. So if they except the material gains, does this mean that the game they used to play is not referred to as a game anymore? All they are doing is getting an added bonus for what they do, and I can guarantee nothing will be altered just because the players are getting paid.

So I will end with a question. What do you think of Huizinga’s rules of play and what are some of the flaws in his rules?